About Me

Kryssie

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in Feb 2012 (at age 29) after about 3 years of mild symptoms and 1 year of aggressively active disease. I've now developed secondary fibromyalgia as well. It has turned my life upside down.
Before RA, I was a full-time student majoring in molecular biology, dreaming of a PhD down the road. I hope to still do that some day, but for now I have to take things one day at a time.
Some day I'd love to research climate change and possibly help develop new energy/fuel and bioremediation solutions. I love nature and don't want to see it destroyed.

Fellow RA Bloggers

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

My rheumy just added another diagnosis: fibromyalgia (FM) secondary to inflammation from RA. I was complaining of an all-over prickly, itchy, irritated, crawling, bug-biting sensation that is worse in the evening. FM makes me so tense and it makes me want to literally take my skin off. It's an absolutely infuriating feeling and I don't know how to deal with it. To be honest, some nights all I can do for relief is have a drink. Alcohol helps calm my nerves, apparently.

Rheumy explained that the high levels of inflammation I have can cause irritation to nerve endings, hence my symptoms. He didn't offer anything to help relieve it, just that once we get the RA under control I should get relief from the FM as well.

So I hit the internet, wondering what other do for FM relief. I found that most people take an anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medication that seems to relieve some of the nerve problems. So I found an internist here in town and made an appointment. Now, if you have RA you know why I was ridiculously nervous about that appointment: you never know if the new doctor is going to understand RA/FM, be willing to treat it, understand the myriad of medications you take, or if they'll even treat you like a human being or if they'll tell you it's all in your head!

My new internist is great. First of all, she runs on time (WOW!). She understands RA and even gets how hard it is emotionally. She seems very on top of things, has given me a lot of good information, and has me starting Cymbalta. It could take a while for it to work, but I'm really hoping to see some results, not just for FM, but also for depression.